Review: You Knew Me When by Emily Liebert

Best friends forever until life got in the way. Katherine Hill left her small New England hometown in pursuit of a dream. Now, twelve years later, she’s a high-powered cosmetics executive in Manhattan and a much glossier version of her former self, unrecognizable to her family and old friends. Not that she would know—she hasn’t been home in over a decade.

Laney Marten always swore she’d never get “stuck” in Manchester, Vermont. No, she was destined to live out her glamorous big-city dreams. Instead, she wound up a young wife and mother. That was when her best friend ran out.

When Katherine receives word of an inheritance from former neighbor Luella Hancock, she reluctantly returns home to the people and places she left behind. Hoping for a second chance, she’s met by an unforgiving Laney, her former best friend. And there’s someone else who’s moved on without her—someone she once loved.

Tethered to their shared inheritance of Luella’s sprawling Victorian mansion, Katherine and Laney are forced to address their long-standing grudges. Through this, they come to understand that while life has taken them in different directions, ultimately the bonds of friendship and sisterhood still bind them together. But are some wounds too old and deep to mend?

Review: Ms. Liebert takes us on a journey into the lives of two friends who over the years have become estranged over the years. All because Katherine or Katy to her friends, had the courage to move away, while she left Laney behind. Laney got married, became a mother and has a job at a small spa. To most this would be wonderful but, Laney resented the fact that Katy was so chic and had what to her seemed to be a glamorous job.

BFF…who shared a common bond…and a neighbor in Luella who befriended both of the girls, giving Katy a mother figure as hers had died and just being a friend to Laney. They shared allot with Luella. They both were influenced by Luella. I liked that these two young girls bonded with and formed a relationship with an otherwise lonely neighbor giving her something to live for. Letting her have the chance to feel needed. Not many girls would do that in today’s society. I know in our neighborhood the kids don’t come out of their houses to help the elderly neighbor’s shovel snow or even cut their grass of ask them for help let alone sit and talk to them asking them for advice.

But, for Katy and Laney…Luella was much more than a friend. I guess when Katy learned from Luella to be independent and spread her wings Laney became jealous. Over the years this tore them apart. Luella has passed away leaving a will naming both girls.

These friends are both very driven…and have depth to them making them both very likeable. You feel the heartaches, betrayals, and love that they each have. The past, present and future is woven into the story in such a way that puts you right into the heart of the story as these two remember the past, disuss the present and decide what needs to be done to salvage the future as BFF’s.

Ms. Liebert gave Luella an insight into each of these girls separately yet together so that she knew what each needed at any given time so she was able to help them. The insight was passed onto us the reader giving us a more real feel for the story.

I enjoyed this quick, witty, very real story that tugs at your heartstrings. An easy read making you want to run over and sit down to chat with that older neighbor so that they are a little less lonely.

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